Watch-case



(No M0061.)

J. H. FLBMING,

WATCH CASE.

110.1140300. Patented Nov. 11, 1800.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES Il. FLEMING, OF NEVARK, NEV JERSEY.

WATCH-CAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part Vof Letters Patent No. 440,308, dated November 11, 1890.

Application filed August 3, 1889. Serial No. 319.652. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JAMES Il. FLEMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVatches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to ina-ke and use the same, reference being had to the accompan ying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

The object of this invention is to enable the movement-holding ring to be arranged and held within the watch-case center with greater facility, firmness, and reliability, and so that it may be conveniently lifted out when the bezel is removed.

A further object is to prevent in that class of watch-cases in which the movement-holding ring is removable from the center the said center from being cut away and the strength thereof materially lessened, to provide an opening large enough for the pendant-shank, through which opening dust is liable to pass and the movement injured thereby.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts, substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally einbodied in the clauses of the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several iigures, Figure I is a plan of the movement and its holding-ring. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of a watch-case. Fig. 4; is a section showing the movement-ring in position in said watch-case. Fig. 5 is a section taken on line o: Fig. G is a perspective view showing certain lugs more clearly; and Figs. '7 and S are details showing said lugs in certain notches of the watch-case, said views being an elevation and plan, respectively.

In said drawings, ct indicates the watch-case center, which may be in one seamless piece with the back ct', or said back may be a separable attachment thereto. The pendantshank a, carrying the usual winding-arbor, is rigidly and permanently attached to said center at one side thereof, the said center being perforated at CLS at the base of said shank, Figs. et and 5, to allow the said winding-arbor to eX- tend through the ordinary perforation in the ring d into proper engagement with the movement. The small perforation as for the winding-arbor at the base of the shank is protected by the shank, so that dust cannot readily pass through said perforation, and the center is not weakened thereby, as in cases where the shank is fixed to the movement-ring and eX- tends through a large opening in said center. At opposite points in said center, at the interior thereof, are formed notches or recesses d4, corresponding in size with certain guiding and holding lugs d2, formed on the holdingrings. The said notches or recesses are preferably formed in the screw-threaded iiange a3, on which the bezel b is secured, one of the notches being disposed just over the windingarbor perforation, as indicated in Fig. 5, and the other at a point diametrical-ly opposite to it, as indicated in Fig. 3.

lVhen the holding-ring is being placed in position, by simply adjusting said ring so that the lugs enter their notches the windingarbor perforations are brought quickly into true alignment, as will be understood, and the winding-arbor guided into proper relation to the movement. The lugs (l, which correspond in size with the notches and fit closely therein, so that the movement-ring is prevented from moving either vertically or horizontally therein, project from the periphery of the movement-ring, as indicated in Figs. I, 2, and 6, and in the preferred construction are threaded on their outer extremities, as indicated in Fig. 7, the threads of the lugs corresponding in size and pitch with the threads 0f the flange d3, so that when the bezel is screwed in place they will engage and bear v down on the upper surfaces of said lug-threads and hold the lugs down on or against the seat co2 firmly and securely, and thus there can be no vibration or movement of said lugs thereon and no looseness of the movement-holding ring in its bearings, whereby the time-keeping qualities of the movement will be affected to its disadvantage.

As will be clearly apparent from the above description, I do not wish to be understood as IOO limiting myself-tothe construction described,

' inasmuch asthe'threads onv the holding-.ring

lugs may be dispensed with, and in that event the notches may be made a little deeper in the Watch-case center and the lugs be correspondingly formed and adapted to lie at their upper surfaces iiush with the surface a2 of the center, so that when the bezel is screwed down it will bear on the upper surfaces of the lug in a manner equivalent to the downward bearing on the lug-threads, thus holding the movement-ring with the same firmness, and yet allowing, when the bezel is removed, of a complete separation of the holding-ring from the center by a simple lifting of said holdingrings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The improved watch-case, combining with the center a movement-holding ring with a threaded projection engaging the cen ter,and a bezel or cover screwed down on said center and in engagement with the projection of the movement-ring, holding the latter immovable in position, substantially as setforth.

2. The improved watch-case, combining therein a center having a threaded and notched flange, a movement-holding ring having a threaded peripheral lug or projection, and a bezel screwed on said flange and lug or projection and holding said movementring firmly in place, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the Watch-case center, having the pendant-sh ank rigidly formed thereon and having notches formed at opposite points therein, of a separable movementring having guiding and holding lugs projecting from the opposite sides thereof and closely fitting said notchesV and free to be moved therefrom, and a bezel secured on said center and engaging said lugs and holding the same rigidly and immovable in said notches in Xed relation to the said center, substantially as Aset forth.

4. The combination,with the Watch-case center having the' pendant-shank permanently formed thereon and perforated at the base of said shank to allow the passage of the winding-arbor through to the movement and having a notched flange thereon, of a movementring having a corresponding Winding-arbor perforation and having opposite guiding-lugs d2 cl2, extending outward from said ring and serving to bring the movement-ring perforation into alignment with the Winding-arbor, and a bezel holding said lugs in place, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of August, 1889.

JAMES. H. FLEMING.

VVtneSSeS:

CHARLES H. PELL, E. L. SHERMAN. 

